Inland region adds jobs in August

Job growth in Riverside and San Bernardino counties continued to
pace the Southern California region last month, albeit at a rate
that suggests the economy is struggling to add enough jobs to keep
up with its growing population base, industry data showed
Friday.

Employment rosters in all Inland Empire industries rose 1.4
percent to 1,080,500 in August, compared with 1,065,800 in August
2002, the California Employment Development Department reported. At
the same time, the civilian labor force jumped 2.7 percent to
1,694,200 from 1,650,100.

"We are the only area in California that is showing any job
growth," said Michael Bazdarich, a local economist and director of
The Inland Empire Economic Databank and Forecasting Center at UC
Riverside. "At least we are still positive."

Job growth in the two-county area was fueled mainly by the
trade, transportation and utilities sector, which added a total of
6,300 people to its employment rosters in the period, the
department reported. The construction sector added 4,000 jobs in
the same period.

Other gains were posted in the educational and health services
sector (up 1,800), financial activities (up 1,600) and the
manufacturing sector (up 1,000). Also on the rise was the leisure
and hospitality sector (up 500), including the addition of French
Valley resident Gerald Bodrogi, who said Friday he spent the
previous 19 months unemployed.

Bodrogi, 60, used to be a programming analyst with a
Fullerton-based manufacturer. He said he recently took a job as a
cashier with Pala Casino Resort & Spa in north San Diego
County. Bodrogi said he's spent the past week training for the
position.

"It's a job that is going to pay me. Something I've been without
for quite a while," Bodrogi said.

On the down side, the professional and business services sector
was off 1,900 jobs in the year, while the government sector
declined by 600 jobs, the department reported.

The unemployment rate fell slightly in Riverside and San
Bernardino counties to 6.3 percent in August, down from 6.4 percent
in the same period last year. Statewide, the jobless rate also
dipped marginally to 6.5 percent from 6.6 percent year over
year.

Nationally, the unemployment rate climbed to 6 percent from 5.7
percent in the same period.